FORMER BANK MANAGER CHARGED IN STEALING OVER 1.4 MILLION DOLLARS FROM DEPOSITORS

Nov. 20, 2014 -- Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that a 27-count indictment was unsealed against Maria Rodriguez (DOB 05/23/68) of 88 Beverly Road, Mt. Kisco, New York charging her with:

one count of Grand Larceny in the First Degree, a class “B” Felony,

one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class “C” Felony,

two counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree, class “D” Felonies,

four counts of Forgery in the Second Degree, class “D” Felonies,

four counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, class “D” Felonies,

four counts of Criminal Tax Fraud in the Third Degree, class “D” Felonies,

five counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing, class “E” Felonies,

one count of Criminal Tax Fraud in the Fourth Degree, a class “E” Felony,

four counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, class “E” Felonies,

one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, a class “E” Felony.

“Most of us rely on our neighborhood bank to safeguard our money. In this case both victims put their trust as well as their money in the hands of someone who, as alleged in this indictment, took advantage of their trust and stole from them,” said District Attorney Janet DiFiore.

Beginning in June 2008, the defendant, who was employed as the Branch Manger of the M&T Bank retail branch in the Village of Ossining, began systematically stealing from two of the bank’s customers.

The defendant knew the first victim since the mid 1990s.

She trusted the defendant to assist her with her personal banking and banking for her business. Over the course of five years, the defendant stole money from the victim by writing unauthorized checks to cash, making unauthorized cash withdrawals, and requesting an ATM card and making unauthorized ATM withdrawals. The total larceny for this victim is $1,171,357.40.

The second victim is 92 years old and a former Ossining Village police officer.

He would deal only with her at the bank. He thought he was withdrawing only the interest out of his bank account, when in fact the defendant was making unauthorized withdrawals worth thousands of dollars over a several year period. The total larceny for this victim is $267,450.00.

The thefts came to light when several of the defendant’s subordinates at the Ossining Branch called M&T Bank's whistleblower hotline to report suspicious activity. M&T Bank then initiated an internal investigation, which led the bank to refer the matter to the Ossining Village Police Department, who in turn contacted the District Attorneys office.

In addition the New York State Tax Department assisted in investigating the tax charges.

Bail was set at $200,000.

Her next court date will be on Nov. 26, 2014.

She faces a maximum of twenty-five years in prison.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Mayes of the Economic Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case.

Maria Rodriguez

In compliance with Disciplinary Rule 7-107A of the Code of Professional Responsibility, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.